Morning Briefing

Answer Is Obvious: Some Days He's Hot, Some Days He's Not

After Vance Johnson of the Denver Broncos shredded the Rams' secondary for 11 catches, 195 yards and a 61-yard touchdown pass play, safety Vince Newsome was asked how it could happen.

"He's good and fast," Newsome said. "When he gets hot, it can be a long day--if you let him get hot."

Obviously, the Rams let him get hot.

Denver Coach Dan Reeves was asked if he thought Johnson could do that to the Raiders in next Sunday's opener in Denver.

"No," Reeves said. "That's a completely different type of defense than the Raiders play, so we'll have a different kind of look for them."

Johnson may be a rising star in the NFL, but he'll get a different look, too: Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes.

Trivia time: Quarterback Mike Shula is being touted by the University of Alabama as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Who was the last Crimson Tide player to win the Heisman? (Answer below).

Steve Carlton has pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox this season, and wherever he's been, Carlton has been no secret to Mike Heath.

In all three uniforms, Carlton surrendered a hit to Heath, who has played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers.

Coach Buddy Ryan has been bad-mouthing many of his Philadelphia Eagles since taking over the team earlier this year. Now, after the team showed it was deserving of his criticism during a 1-3 exhibition season, he's changed his tune.

Said Ryan: "You're probably going to find this pretty hard to believe but we're pretty close to being a good football team. We're a hair away from being a good football team."

He's right. It's hard to believe.

Jim Kelly was hailed as an impact player, and he's proven it already even though he's played in only one exhibition game for the Buffalo Bills.

When the Bills signed the former United States Football League quarterback to a 5-year, $7.5 million contract on Aug. 18, only 30,000 tickets had been sold for Buffalo's NFL opener next Sunday with the New York Jets.

On Sunday, a Buffalo-based supermarket chain purchased the remaining 4,000 seats for the game, meaning 80,020-seat Rich Stadium will be sold out and the game will be televised locally.

Minnesota Twins' Manager Ray Miller was upset after light-hitting Manny Lee drove in three runs with three hits Saturday as Toronto beat the Twins, 8-1. Friday night, Lee, in his second season in the majors, hit his first homer in a victory over Minnesota.

Said Miller: "He hasn't had a hit in four years and he gets three against us."

Trivia answer: No University of Alabama player has won the Heisman in the 51 years of the award.

Quotebook

Bill Russell, known as the dean of the Dodgers, when told by sportscaster Bud Furillo that Tom Lasorda has become dean of National League managers: "Now there are two deans--a skinny one and a big one."